Man in custody after taking toddler hostage, barricading himself in Clayton County home

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Authorities in Clayton County say a man barricaded himself inside a home Friday morning with a gun. He has since been taken into custody.

Channel 2′s Steve Gehlbach was on Dixboro Drive in Jonesboro, where Clayton County police said the incident came to a “sudden but peaceful resolution” around noon.

Police were first called to the home around 7 a.m. after a woman told police her live-in boyfriend shot a gun at her. She was able to get out of the house, but her toddler was still inside. Officers arrived and it became a hostage situation, police said.

Channel 2 Action News was the only news station at the scene when SWAT rushed in and grabbed the child and took the 2-year-old away in an officer’s arms. The little girl has since been reunited with her mother.

Video from the scene appears to show a man being taken away on a stretcher. Police said he is being treated at the hospital but there were no shots fired.

Moments later, officers brought out the suspect and put him in a police car.

Clayton police said SWAT went to the porch to hand over a phone to negotiate and when he came to the door, officers broke through the back door and took him by surprise.

Police said the situation ended just the way they wanted it to.

“First of all, we want the child to be safe,” Capt. Steven Palmer with the Clayton County Police Department said. “(We had to) change our tactics a little bit because child is involved.”

Gelhbach spoke to a neighbor, who said he didn’t hear any gunshots early Friday morning, but was on lockdown inside his home for hours. He said he knew the couple involved and never had any clues there were problems.

“They seem to have a great relationship. Nothing that would end up in this chaos,” Erik Jones said. “Nothing. I swear. nothing.”

The suspect was taken away in an ambulance with minor injuries. Police have not said what he will be charged with or identified him.

The mother and child were unharmed.

“I’m glad none of the officers got hurt, none in the house got hurt,” Jones said. “Especially the child. And that’s the most important thing.”

Cox Media Group